Telecraze

Telecraze

In the Western world, rock ’n’ roll is held to be synonymous with rebellion, but in Iran, according to Hamid Sami, frontman of the Tehran quintet Telecraze, “the rock music scene is an art scene.” That said, very aggressive-sounding music is banned, and those who sing in English, as Sami does, are restricted to playing shows for fewer than 400 people. English music can’t be released legally in Iran, and Sami grew up listening to cassettes by Pink Floyd and Radiohead that friends’ relatives had acquired from outside the country. His music blends acoustic and electric rock with subtle electronic textures and glitchy beats, and it has garnered fans online — Telecraze even have a manager in Utah whom they’ve yet to meet. At press time, Sami was still waiting for a visa for CMW; last year, he was denied one. The 27-year-old singer/guitarist, on a cellphone from Tehran, says it’s difficult to prove that he won’t stay in Canada illegally. “I have my band and everything to do here, but the embassy” — now based in Turkey — “is not easy with that question.” Sami has arranged to play with an Iranian/Canadian pick-up band in Toronto, as Telecraze’s second guitarist and drummer need to serve in the military for two years to get passports, and the bassist can’t afford the trip. He looks forward to meeting other musicians and hearing “how they work and what they’re thinking about” in a place where “you can go play your music wherever you want.” - National post(Canadian daily publishing)

Recording under his Bescolour alias as well as several collaborative projects, including Telecraze and Thisposition, Najafi is part of an emerging subculture of young electronic artists based in Iran who are forging their own unofficial music movement using cheap software and internet access. - thenational.ae

Telecraze, an Iranian alternative music band in rehearsal in Tehran. groups have difficulties performing publicly, most of them only exist as underground music groups. - Demotrix

the English version of this interview will be published soon. - Radioboom,

Translation:
They say that there is a craze in everything, in an old lady's dance in Ragged cloths, down the streets, in shouts of the street sales man that is passing by the window shouting out to sell his watermelons saying "come and slice em!!", In the music that for an instance opens up a different dimension for the audience and as soon as it ends, that dimension ends with it too, and the listener is left with the wonder.

Craziness has always been a part of his life and has called his new band;"Telecraze" 'a craze from far away"


This another time among the several times that hi is making a band and is feeling good about it's path way much more this time, because of his fans from all around the world which keeps him warm to keep going on, sending him warm messages "sometimes i feel how my fans outside of the country are more supportive to me ",Telecraze manager is an American woman whom had been one of Sami’s fans from his solo projects, while the band has only been active for seven month’s, she had voluntary took the responsibility of promoting the band and to the managing duties. Fans from Mexico, Turkey, USA, Sweden, and Canada had become a bridge between Sami and the world.

The farthest distance he had traveled is Malaysia. He says that he could travel to UK and test his chance there. But one of his friends from London sent a message that the ground his not yet ready for a band like his band to grow to its most potential. Sami canceled his trip to Britain and traveled to Malaysia where he performed in a university and got inspired by the encouragements of the fans, but his feet was still itching and he got back to Tehran to start Telecraze. Currently Sami and Mahan Tabrizinia (guitarist) are the only members of the band. Sami is look to hunt other talents to make the band full and perform in Iran.

Telecraze has by now composed 8 songs from which 4 are on the virtual space and other 4 are under production. All in English as the bands name promote.

Sami say’s that since his 14 almost all the songs that he had been listening to been in English. And 14 was the age that his father sent him to English classes. Sami listened to English songs and translated them to English to practice the language .Gradually his own pen got on writing and then he started signing English lyrics. All the currents songs and lyrics of Telecraze are all Sami’s work

“Sami” is Hamid Sami's nickname whom was born 26 years ago in 7th of August, in Tehran, grown up and entered university on Electro Technique major,and left the major on the second term to peruse what he really likes which was music. He is a graduate of Universal Instruments from Tehran Azad University and since that period he had found many underground Rock and Alternative bands. Telecraze band and Hamid Sami's works is another example of Iranian youth towards performing songs in English, which may be the reflection of the hardships in the way of public appearance for these artists inside Iran and a need to get known by public in foreign countries.


in the music that for
- Jadidonline by "Dariush Rajabian"

Translation in process. - Monorail magazine